NANJING INTERNATIONAL TENNIS CENTER

100% TENNIS
The focal point of our Nanjing Tennis Masterplan was focussed on reducing the building's footprint on the rather small plot. In order to preserve the Park, we created a group of tightly integrated building volumes, with the “Wave” building with stacked Tennis Courts at its heart. A highly evocative structure that unites all tennis activities within its characteristic sweep and incorporates the Main stadium at its midpoint, the Wave was inspired by the powerful and ethereal image of the breaking ocean surf – a fitting metaphor for the very fascination of tennis. An idea we call a 100% TENNIS.

80% GREEN LANDSCAPE
The connection to nature has largely been lost in the transition of the sport towards a broader, public appeal and a focus on athletic competition, but the most beloved tennis clubs are still those that retain the classic appeal of “playing in the outdoors”. We therefore focused on maximizing the landscaping, reducing our buildings footprint to a mere 20% allowing for 80% for an innovative eco-park/ outdoor court landscape, as well as public walkways, water features, shops and plazas. This strategy not only overcomes one of the challenges of traditional tennis center layouts - the high demand for horizontal surface area – it also creates the opportunity to resolve the conflicting demands of extended hardscapes and the Sponge City sustainability concept.

ECO LANDSCAPE
Our proposal is also focused on sustainability; and integrates the outdoor tennis courts in a natural Spongecity landscape that seamlessly integrates the surrounding riverside parks into the site and creates a gently undulating green horizon bracketed between two waterways, with view of downtown Nanjing in the distance. The raised landscape platform also allows for a single level, naturally ventilated parking overlooking the river. The Landscape absorbs and filters storm water and local vegetation is re-introduced to restore the natural biome.

Credits

Year: 2021

Location: Nanjing,China

Client: City of Nanjing

Project Type: Invited competition: Master Plan and Tennis Stadium and Training Center

Size: 32000m2 lands area, 64500 floor area

Design Team: Principal in charge: Winka Dubbeldam, Justin Korhammer | Archi-Tectonics Team: Bowen Qin, Max Boerman, Wouter Van den Heuvel